I don't think there is a preferred or common method as there are too many variables that will determine which is best for each garden. Indeed the best approach may be a combination of both. In part it depends on the type of soil you have - hard pack clay or sandy or good top soil easy to work to a depth of 6-8". Also what crop you are trying to grow, how well the soil drains, how quickly it warms in the spring, how bad your weed problem is, if you are using mulch and which type, and even how much room you have to plant in. Raised rows have the advantages of warming soil faster in the spring so allow for earlier planting. They also drain better if you have poorly draining soil. They work well for root crops like beets and carrots and potatoes. They allow thicker planting of some crops but won't support the heavier root structure of some plants like corn as well. And they also dry out faster so in hot climates require more watering, leach nutrients faster, and use up more space. So depending on your soil quality, the crop you want to grow, and the amount of space you have to work with the best approach would be to try a combination of both and see which works best for you in your garden. Dave

Hey all, Thanks for the reply, barry I wish it was that easy:) Remy- I would be glad to get your flat beans if you let me know what you might like in trade, I am also interested in your italian pear tomato. Jean- I'm sorry I just traded the last of the stevia, the grape vines I will have to get from a neighboring vinyard. I am caring for a sick freinf this week so will not be able to go get cuttings until next week, but I can get them then. Alysum I do have, one unopened pack. I woul dlove ot get the beans as well as the cuttings for the berries. I will mail you with the specifics. Thanks for the reply Nina- Yes that is one variety of them, I would love to get the two packs as I am hoping to plant alot of these in the spring. Let me know what you would like from my list. Please email me directly and not through GW as it rarely gets through to me. liznbeatle@aol.com Thanks Lisa

It is finally dry enough to plant this year's beans, and I have mislaid the seed packs I so carefully bought in March! Does anyone have any spare Roma/Italian pole bean seeds? I do have Kentucky Wonder, Asparagus (yard-long) Beans, *Sicilian Chiclet Beans, *Insuk's Wang Kong Runner Beans, and Vlad's purple-podded beans, but I am sadly lacking Romas. And wax beans, if anyone has those. I'd be happy to trade Sicilian Chiclet Beans or Insuk's Wang Kong Runner Beans for some... Lynn

North...one should de-glaze with room temperature liquid, and do it slowly, to avoid thermal shock. Never use cold water or a significant amount of cooler liquid quickly. Most warping occurs from incorrect usage: Bring the cookware to temperature slowly. Do not dump cold water into or on top of a hot pan. Always match the burner size to the pan size. Large pans can be more susceptible to warping if the burner is a ring. This is due to the lack of even heating across the surface. A pan with excellent heat conductivity, such as copper, will mitigate this. Some high-quality stainless steel brands are Demeyere, Viking, and Mauviel.